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We know how much L.A. loves its kale, and we truly appreciate the many ways in which the city's most ingenious chefs have taken the leafy superfood so rich in antioxidants and made it more accessible by transforming it into gourmet pizza (we're looking at you Stella Rossa), fried kale chips, and other tasty treats.
Now we turn our attention to happy hour. Could kale be the new basil?
Napa Valley Grille in Westwood recently introduced a kale-tini for the spring and summer months called the "Jolly Green Machine."
General manager Tracy Thayer was inspired by her weekly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) delivery, which included baby kale, and worked with the chefs to perfect the recipe, which includes baby kale leaf juice, fresh lemon juice, Farmer's Organic gin, St. Germain and agave syrup.
It's not always listed, but you can order it off-menu for $12.
"We work with a local farmer who brings CSA boxes to us every Wednesday," Thayer said. "In one of the boxes was baby kale, it was beautiful so we had to make a cocktail out of it."
Napa Valley Grille's CSA program is also open to its guests. Patrons can sign up to receive a box of fresh produce for $20 each week. Thayer said that the restaurant opened it up to guests about two years ago and they have about two dozen subscribers. The restaurant doesn't make any money off of the program. Thayer said that it was just something cool that they wanted to do in their community.
Have you tried other kale-infused cocktails that we should know about? Let us know!
